California Road Trips Guide - 2024 - 32

ITINERARY FOR THE STORYTELLER
Lassen Volcanic
National Park
Nevada City
Mt. Shasta
Brewing's blonde ale and a burger, or take home
a vial of gold fl akes from the Plumas County
Museum gift shop. As you push north on
Highway 70, watch for the locals' grassroots art
project-historic barns gussied
up with painted " quilts. "
One hour northwest, stop
AREA
OF
DETAIL
Lassen
Volcanic
NP
Quincy
Chico
Auburn
N
Sacramento
in Mill Creek for an overnight
at St. Bernard Lodge, a 1920s
ranch built by German
immigrants, then rise early
for a day of adventure. Lassen
Volcanic National Park
Highway cuts through its
namesake park, showcasing
gnarled mountain peaks and
hydrothermal spectacles.
History takes the long view
here: Volcanic rumblings
began about 27,000 years ago,
but Lassen Peak didn't erupt
until the early 20th century.
Stay the course on Highway
89, heading north to yet another, even larger
volcano: the massive bulk of Mt. Shasta, a
sleeping giant that soars to 14,179 feet. Take a
hike from Bunny Flat to the Sierra Club Alpine
Lodge, a stone structure built in 1922 as a
shelter for climbers. End the day with a lamb
burger at Pipeline Craft Taps & Kitchen and
dreams at the Inn at Mount Shasta.
Next, leave the looming peaks behind and
zoom south on Interstate 5. Plan to spend at
AND EARL
least one day in Redding, a friendly urban hub
on the Sacramento River. Don't miss the city's
top hits-Turtle Bay Exploration Park's ecomuseum
and the graceful architecture of the
Sundial Bridge-but also take time to explore
downtown Redding's vintage, vinyl, book, and
crystal shops, or taste some of the off erings at
Th e Park, a food-truck hub. Plan on a brickoven
pizza dinner at Mosaic and a restful sleep
at the Sheraton Redding Hotel.
In the morning, merge onto Interstate 5 for
a quick trip south to Corning, where olives
aren't king, but rather queen. Sevillano, or
queen, olives-the fi rm, green fruit that tops
martinis-have been grown and brined here
since 1897. Taste peppery olive oil at Nash's or
Corning Olive Oil Company, or order a tangy
tapenade sandwich at the Olive Pit.
From Corning, a half-hour jog southeast on
Highway 99 brings you to Chico, home of elmdotted
streets and arcadian Bidwell Park. Pay
a visit to the grand Bidwell Mansion, bounded
by fragrant roses and towering ornamental
trees planted by Chico's founder, General John
Bidwell. His three-story home, a marvel of
1860s ingenuity, was one of California's fi rst
with indoor plumbing.
In your fi nal 90-mile trek back to
Sacramento, don't miss a much-loved I-5
landmark: Granzella's in Williams. More than
400,000 drivers each year pull over to shop for
pickled preserves and fruity jams, or just to
marvel at the 10-foot-tall stuff ed polar bear.
FLOWER SEASON MT. SHASTA'S SPECTACULAR WILDFLOWER BLOOM USUALLY HAPPENS IN LATE JULY
AND EARLY AUGUST. REROUTE LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK HIGHWAY IS TYPICALLY CLOSED DUE TO
SNOW FROM NOVEMBER TO MID-JUNE, BUT SEVERAL ALTERNATE ROUTES WILL LET YOU BYPASS THE PARK.
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California Road Trips Guide - 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of California Road Trips Guide - 2024